Periconiella lecythidis sp. nov., the causal agent of a zonate leaf spot disease of the Brazilian tree Lecythis pisonis

Abstract

A new defoliating disease was observed on 20-year-old trees of Lecythis pisonis in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The disease is characterized by forming one or more large zonate epiphyllous leaf spots with a light brown to white center, followed by two to three zones gradually varying from brown to red-brown. On the corresponding abaxial leaf surface, the spots are lighter with a profuse greenish gray coloration caused by the fungal colonies. In PDA culture, the fungus is characterized by a slow growth of the colonies with brown-violet pigmentation at the reverse. Inoculation tests carried out on healthy plants of L. pisonis confirmed the pathogenicity of this fungus. Periconiella lecythidis sp. nov., the causal agent of the zonate leaf spot disease of L. pisonis is described, illustrated, discussed and compared with the other species of the genus Periconiella. The intricate generic affinity within a complex of morphologically similar hyphomycete genera consisting of Metulocladosporiella, Parapericoniella, Penidiella and Periconiella is discussed in detail.